Social enterprise organisations are set to receive a further cash injection in the government's comprehensive spending review, HSJ understands.

Department of Health social enterprise lead Julie Dent, currently seconded to the Social Enterprise Coalition, told delegates at a conference that 'extra revenue' would be made available to aspiring social enterprise organisations when the government announces the review later this year.

Last month the DoH announced a£73m fund to be given to start-up social enterprises in health and social care.

Ms Dent said it was time for such organisations to 'seize the moment'.

'[Social enterprises] can only get into [primary care trusts'] pockets if you are providing something they want,' she said. 'Getting PCTs to really understand commissioning in a plural market is a big issue,' she added.

Ms Dent, who until last July was chief executive of the former South West London strategic health authority, said that she was in discussions with the Department of Health to set up an agency to support budding and nascent social enterprises.

'For the NHS, commissioning really has to now look at social enterprises because most of the emphasis so far has been looking at NHS providers'.